Portland police have re-opened an investigation into allegations made last year by a massage therapist that former Vice President Al Gore groped and kissed her and made unwelcome sexual advances in an upscale hotel suite late one night in October 2006.

The Portland Police Bureau did not explain why the case was being re-opened now, after stating last week there had been insufficient evidence to pursue it. However in the past seven days, the allegations by masseuse Molly Hagerty, 54, have been trumpeted in a pair of National Enquirer stories.

"I want justice served," Hagerty told the National Enquirer in a short story posted online Wednesday. The Enquirer says Hagerty has a "key witness who could blow the case wide open, the secret hotel video surveillance and the DNA evidence."

"Further investigation into this matter will only benefit Mr. Gore,'' she said. "The Gores cannot comment on every defamatory, misleading, and inaccurate story generated by tabloids. Mr. Gore unequivocally and emphatically denied this accusation when he first learned of its existence three years ago. He stands by that denial.''

The Portland Police Bureau issued its own statement on Wednesday, saying only that the department "has made the decision to re-open the case regarding the allegations brought forward against Mr. Al Gore. Consistent with our policy regarding open investigations, the Police Bureau will not be commenting on any additional specifics regarding this case at this time."

In December 2006 and January 2007 Hagerty complained through her lawyer, Randall Vogt, about the alleged sexual misconduct two months after her Oct. 24, 2006 late-night massage session, according to a Portland police statement last week. Hagerty, then unidentified, refused to meet with detectives on three occasions, police said.

Vogt, a specialist in sex crimes cases, told law enforcement officials at the time that Hagerty had decided to pursue a civil lawsuit. The attorney, who no longer represents Hagerty, also contacted the FBI, the Oregon State Police and the U.S. Secret Service. In January 2009, Hagerty apparently changed her mind, and read a detailed, prepared statement to Portland sexual assault investigators. She remained unnamed, as a potential sex crime victim, until going public in the Enquirer on Wednesday.

As evidence, Hagerty offered police the black trousers she wore to the massage session at the city's upscale Hotel Lucia. She said they were stained with what might be Gore's DNA since he was wearing only a hotel bathrobe that tied in the front. Portland authorities declined to press charges, citing insufficient evidence of a sex crime (click for audio and written versions of the Portland police report)

Hagerty's allegations included claims of Gore's repeated requests for a massage of his groin area and lower abdomen, and throwing himself on top of her on a bed as she attempted to pack up her gear and leave. In her police statement, she accused Gore of kissing and groping her. At one point she says she told Gore, "you're being a crazed sex poodle, hoping he would realize how weird he was being, yet he persisted,"

Hagerty told police she did not just bolt from the hotel suite because "I feared that if I ran for the door to get out, I could or would be violently accosted by some security detail." On the night in question, Gore did not have Secret Service protection.

Enquirer editor Barry Levine has told The Washington Post that his paper did not, as had been reported elsewhere, pay Hagerty $1 million for the original story, in which she was unnamed, but pictured with her faced blurred out. Levine has not yet responded to e-mail and phone requests about whether she is now being paid for revealing her identity.

Hagerty's allegations come just weeks after Al and Tipper Gore announced they were splitting after 40 years of marriage and four children. Al Gore, an Oscar and Nobel Prize winner who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush.

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Hi Gypsy

Sounds like this "so-called" masseuse needs customers! However, any person interested in a masseuse should choose someone (at the suggestion of the hotel staff who is responsible forthe people they employ or allow to service their guests) who has more professional ethics than to report someone who has "groped" them - whether true or not. Most masseuse are called at the "midnight hour" to help someone who is in pain or needs to get to sleep. I'm sure they have dealt with those who has too much to drink,etc.,before this hotel guest. This masseuse should have to show all the other customers who have had this person perform a massage on them and get their opinions as to her services at the "midnight hour" (and their capacity of drink) . . .So what is her problem?? Not enough customers or is she "new on the job" and doesn't have enough customers or is suffering from some injury to her that prevents her from calling the hotel staff (security)?? I'm sure the hotel staff would have "assisted" this masseuse if she had a problem.I "smell" another attention-getting person who is looking to "cash-in" on their otherwise "messy"attempt to get money despite the other honorable ones who do their job they were hired to do.It's too bad that one "bad apple" ruins it for the ones who carry out their jobs in a mosthonorable manner (and a job many have to support their families who don't otherwise have an education or is a second job needed to support their primary job income).

If she truly wanted JUSTICE and JUSTICE ALONE why didn't she press for a criminal investigation? No, instead she went for a CIVIL trial where she can 'sue' for just about anything in the hopes of coming out with some PAYOLA. If she were really 'agast' at Gore's actions (which quite frankly I doubt the man ever made any attempt) she would have filed an assault charge and NOT dropped it and much later gone for a civil case. People like her hold up our great system with such garbage costing our system billions of dollars. This is ridiculous and Gore should turn around and sue her butt. WHERE's HER PROOF?!?!? See, you don't need proof in a CIVIL trial....Hmmm? Liar, Liar pants on fire!!!

Slow down turbos let the evidence speak what do they have how can you decide either way without the evidence ? Mr.Gore and Ms Hagerty will be able to present their claims of proof or not other than that quit,please let the evidence speak the truths or lies . [voice of reason]

I bet if its one woman look for more like tiger woods. Why did she wait for years to file civil? At least she did report the story when it happened. why didn't the police investagate harder and gather the evidence at that time. Perhaps a fresh set of eyes should open the evidence locker and see what turns up. Look at all these people whom feel entitled? How great when they have money..and maybe tipper couldnt give him the kind of rush he needs any more and her as well. Maybe they should buy travel sex toys to get them through the ruff patch.

So let me get this straight. The police didn't find evidence of a sexual crime, so now she is going civil route. I call this the path to riches for trash. I mean if you want to destroy a man quickly, you just accuse him of something sexual. Then the tabloid shows come and offer her cash to tell all. Then she gets a "book" deal that some ghostwriter writes, and so, proof that our society has gone downhill when people profit off trash, lies, and destroying people.